NEWS RELEASE
THEATRE ORANGEVILLE
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This week, Theatre Orangeville rounds off its 25th season with the biggest and most exciting production we have ever done: A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the outdoor stage, on the waterfront, at Island Lake Conservation Area in Orangeville, featuring young Newmarket actor, Adriano Reis as the lover, Demetrius.
What makes the Aug. 22 to 25 production so special is its scale, its motivation and its roots.
Twenty-four actors, a full Sweet Adelines’ chorus, a 60-foot stage and $100,000 budget.
What motivates us is inclusion. This production spans ages and abilities and puts all actors whether professional, community, youth or developmentally challenged on the same stage, with the same rigour, same respect and same expectations as each other. This is a major FIRST! We have been running annual original theatre productions for developmentally challenged youth and adults for more than a decade — no other professional mainstage theatre does this as part of its mandate — and this is the first time we have integrated the cast.
The roots of this production go back in our history. Both Colin Simmons, our director, and Daniel Reale, our associate director, started in Theatre Orangeville youth programs. Colin was the first Ralphie in A Christmas Story on our mainstage and cut his teeth at the Stratford Festival after graduating from Sheridan’s theatre program. Dan is not far behind. Newly graduated from George Brown, he just directed our Theatre for Young Audiences tour of Tree Boy.
Reis, who is entering his second year at George Brown Theatre School, is joined by fellow actors from Waterloo, Beeton, Shelburne, Cookstown, Vaughan, Caledon, Orangeville, Toronto and Brampton.
What makes this production so much fun is the joy this company brings. Everyone knows this is a big deal and unlikely to be replicated anytime soon. Colin’s deft hand makes the story sing and the script approachable. This is not the Shakespeare you dreaded in third-period English.
Performances are Thursday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 25 at 1 p.m. at Island Lake Conservation Area, 673067 Hurontario St. S. Orangeville. This is outdoor theatre, so bring lawn chairs or a blanket.
For tickets, $18 for adults, $15 for students and $8 for children, call 519-942-3423 or visit here.
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